I'm not going to rate these separately as that doesn't make sense to me. I thought this was a wonderful series. I was horrified when he got hit by the car and I thought he may not be able to finish the story. The plot was incredible and the characters were like close friends of mine by the end. His imagery and imagination are an inspiration to those of us who strive to write for a living. His best work by far, IMHO. ( )

Things are definitely coming to a head in King's penultimate installment of the Dark Tower series - and they're getting weirder. I can see why some readers don't like the latter half of the Dark Tower series, thinking that it goes off the rails.... but I actually really like the whole "meta" nature of this part of the story, although it was weird meeting the author. Looking forward to the last chapter. ( )

Spoilers ahoy!

Here it is, the sixth book in the epic saga of The Dark Tower, and in many ways, the most audacious and surprising installment yet. One thing that’s surprising is that it is such a short book, encompassing really only one day in the long journey of the ka-tet seeking the Tower. But in that day, Susannah and her hitchhiker demon Mia cross over into 1999 New York and labor pains begin, heralding the arrival of Susannah’s demon baby – a baby who is destined to kill his father, who, through some bizarre demon manipulation I won’t try to explain, is Roland. Father Callahan, Jake and Oy follow Susannah and prepare for a showdown with a whole lot of baddies, but not before stashing Black Thirteen in a storage locker in the World Trade Center (where else?).

Finally, in the most audacious twist of all, Roland and Eddie travel to 1970s Maine and meet Stephen King himself (who has written himself as a man with more than a few flaws). They learn that, as the author of their own story, King is one of the linchpins holding the Tower in place and must be protected at all costs. The short novel ends with the mother of all cliffhangers: a baby about to be born; a suicide mission about to begin; and we all know what’s going to happen to those Twin Towers (think the Crimson King might have been working with the terrorists?).

In the final, and even more audacious, twist, the story closes with the death of King himself after being hit by a van. What is real and what is fiction? I’ve lost track. Suffice it to say, Part VI is a very quick read, less a standalone book in its own right, but rather functioning as a bridge from The Wolves of the Calla to the final and most eagerly awaited installment. ( )

The ka-tet is broken, as Eddie and Roland, Jake and Callahan, and Susannah and Mia are all off on their own, disconnected from each other in King's penultimate Dark Tower volume, Song of Susannah.

In a different when, Eddie and Roland face another gunfight, only a day after their previous fight with the wolves and gather up more information on the tower, the quest, and the Tower/Deepneau pair. Then they meet an interesting character - Stephen King. Yes, that's right; one of the characters in Stephen King's Dark Tower series is Stephen King himself. While not playing a tremendously large role (at least, not yet), it is quite the move on King's part - rather ambitious, cliche, and it could easily be hit-or-miss to the reader.

The Coda, however, is quite interesting and really illuminates how much the Dark Tower means to King. It is a collection of pages from his journal that are all tied together in that they are about the Dark Tower books and show how he feels, his thought process, and many other factors involving the series and his life.

While more of a small (compared to the last two books, which were nearly twice as long) filler between Wolves of the Calla and The Dark Tower, Song of Susannah completes its task of setting up the final volume, and putting each character in place for what must eventually happen with the ka-tet, the Crimson King, and the Tower itself. ( )

This is probably my least favorite of the series so far, but it wasn't terrible. I finally felt a little compassion for Mia, and it was good to get some more Susannah-time. Sadly the ka-tet is still split; hopefully they'll regroup in the last novel.

An interesting scene with Jake and Oy in New York--the kid is really becoming a gunslinger!

Now for the Stephen King part: I'm not sure if his writing himself into the story is literary genius or unequalled ego... but it is sort of... cool. At least he wrote himself as a normal guy and not as anything special; he even talked about his beer gut and some addictions that he probably shouldn't have. So yeah... kind of cool, kind of strange. Perfect Stephen King.

I'm looking forward to the seventh and final book in the series! ( )